Nov 22, 2020
Ep. 98: Joel Makower - co-founder & chairman of GreenBiz
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For episode 98 we welcome Joel Makower, chairman of GreenBiz. For
more than 30 years, Joel has been a well-respected voice on
business, the environment, and the bottom line. Joel Makower is
co-founder, chairman and executive editor of GreenBiz Group, Inc.
Among his duties at GreenBiz, Makower hosts the annual GreenBiz
forums and is author of the annual ‘State of Green Business’
report.
A former nationally syndicated columnist, Joel is author or
co-author of more than a dozen books, titles include: 'The New
Grand Strategy', 'Strategies for the Green Economy', 'Beyond the
Bottom Line: Putting Social Responsibility to Work for Your
Business and the World', 'The Green Consumer' - just to name
a few. Awarded the Hutchens Medal by the American Society for
Quality, The Associated Press has referred to him as “The guru of
green business practices.” In 2014, Makower was inducted into
the Hall of Fame of the International Society of Sustainability
Professionals.
Much of our conversation in this episode focused on the Circular
Economy. The United Nations Industrial Development
Organizations (UNIDO) describes this holistic approach as, "A
circular economy is a new way of creating value, and ultimately
prosperity, through extending product lifespan and relocating waste
from the end of the supply chain to the beginning - in effect,
using resources more efficiently by using them more than once. In a
circular economy materials for new products come from old products.
As much as possible, everything is reused, remanufactured or, as a
last resort, recycled back into a raw material or used as a source
of energy. "
Offering a more concise description of what a circular economy
could do for the stability of the planet, Makower explains the
system as "keeping molecules in play". Joel leverages an in-depth
understanding and appreciation to evolve common practice of
businesses and consumers alike. As such, his work focuses on
three principal topics:
In our 50 minute discussion we cover stakeholder value vs.
shareholder value. We discuss a bit of politics and the
potential for sustainability and Green Business under the Biden
administration. We learn where things stand with the Paris Accord
and what we should do, now. We explore if biodiversity could
replace the siren song of Carbon. I learn more about the
history of GreenBiz and how Joel and his talented team have been
able to not just weather the storm in 2020, but thrive.
Additionally, we discuss the role of business leaders in
climate action and how business itself as an arm of the voter/
consumer can influence policy moving forward.
Joel Makower has been a commentator on environmental topics for
public radio's "Marketplace" and appears frequently in both
broadcast and print media. He serves as a board member or adviser
to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations and speaks regularly
to companies, industry groups and business schools around the
world. I encourage all of listeners to get on the GreenBiz
mailing list, to attend his conferences, and seek out other
speaking engagements featuring this expert in all things
sustainable.
Tune in to ep. 98 to learn from a man with unique sagacity about
what it'll take to save the planet through better business.
As Joel explains it, "this is a massive economic opportunity
masquerading as an environmental problem."
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